The Panic of Fear (Book One of The Fearful Trilogy)

Chapter Twenty

  I start coughing and feel really weak. This is the way I'm gonna die. I start thinking.

Four years ago

  Jordan is looking at me worried. "Alex? If he beats both of you why don't you call the cops?" He asks me. "Oh believe me I've tried. He just hides it well. 'Oh they fell down the stairs.' Or. 'He got into a fight a school.' I've called the cops so many times I don't think they believe me anymore."
  I start crying and Jordan grabs my hand. "Listen. If you're having a bad day at home. Call me. I'll come pick you up." He says. I smile and wipe away the tears. "Thank you." "You're welcome." He looks at me. "Look. I never want to attend my friend's funeral. But if I do. Trust me. I'll be there when you're dying." He says tears coming to his own eyes. "I never want to die alone. And I never want my friend's to die alone." He smiles sadly at me. "We're never gonna die alone."

  I look around his words echoing in my head. "We're never gonna die alone." If he could see me now. Dying alone. Well at least I have my Floofic. I lean against a wall and slide down so I'm sitting. I start crying as the gas envelopes me.
  I hear something from the other room but ignore it. I don't want to think about that monster as I die. All of a sudden I hear banging coming from the door I walked in. Whatever. I'm just going to die. I don't care about anything.
  I hear more banging but ignore it. Suddenly the door falls down and a bunch of what looks like balls fall into the room. The gas clears out of the room and I can start to breathe.
  As the foggy gas disappears I see at least a hundred Floofics looking at me. "What the?" "I brought them." The Floofic with the halo comes out of the crowd.
  I get a good look at her and see she's a pink color, with baby blue eyes and ears. "Why I keep saving you? I don't know. Now where is that Floofic you told me about?" "Can I get your name?" I ask. "Why do you want my name?" She asks skeptically. I shrug. "Ugh. It's Reine. Now where is your Floofic?" "Zodiac's on the table." I reply. She looks at the table with Zodiac strapped down on it. " Denise. Cola. And Riley. Can you help the human?"
  She asks. A purple and white Floofic comes forward. "Denise good to see you." Says Reine. A brown and yellow Floofic follows Denise. "Cola." And finally a red and green Floofic comes from the crowd. "Riley. Now all three of you go help the human." She says nodding towards me.
  Help from Floofics. What's that gonna be like? I ask myself. I see Reine hop up onto the table with Zodiac and starts working on the straps holding him down.